iPhone Helps to Identify Rare Form of Cancer

A photo taken on an iPhone has helped to identify a rare form of cancer, according to news reports.

iPhone 12 cameras
A mother of three from Gainesville, Florida took a photo of her three-month-old son using her ‌iPhone‌ and its True Tone flash, which highlighted an abnormality in his right eye. The boy's mother, a labor and delivery nurse, recalled learning about retinoblastoma during her training. Retinoblastoma is a type of eye cancer that starts in the back of the eye and is most common in children.

Tumors in the eye can be detected in photos taken with a flash since they show up as white, where the tumor covers what should be a red-colored reflection of the retina. Following the photo, the presence of Grade D Retinoblastoma was confirmed by medical professionals.

Chemotherapy and laser treatment were then able to be administered at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center clinic of Children's Healthcare in Atlanta.

The Apple Watch is the Apple device most commonly associated with health due to its array of sensors, but this simple experience with the ‌iPhone‌'s True Tone flash goes to show that health conditions may be highlighted in unexpected ways by a broad range of devices.

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